Monday, August 11, 2014

Kurt Hippauf - Painter

Kurt Hippauf

Kurt Hippauf
Mpls, MN
Email   KurtHippauf at ignudi.com

Bio: After many years away I have returned back to my roots. Though I never totally stopped painting it was a somewhat casual relationship. My understanding of painting has never been deeper.  Painting is a journey; A metaphor for life.

Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this
different from past projects?

First and foremost all my work is about paint and the process of painting.  I believe that before anything a painting has to be a good painting.

Rather than trying work out issues on a canvas I’m doing much more preliminary work trying to get at the kernel of things.  I’m currently working on some studies for two new pieces and as always striving to improve my technique.



Are you showing anywhere?
I have a piece with Altered Esthetics show “Dangerous” at the Twin Cities Trapeze Center in St. Paul. http://www.alteredesthetics.org/gallery-events/exhibitions.  My work is featured. (8/1/14 - 8/24/14).

How did you decide to become an artist?
There was really no deciding.  From my earliest recollections being an artist was pretty much a given.

What was the best advice given to you as an artist? 
Two things:
1.       If it’s just OK it might as well be bad
2.      Get out of your own way



Many artists struggle to find ways to sell their art.  How do you sell your work?  How do you market yourself?
Only on occasion do I actually sell a piece and then it mostly word of mouth. I exhibit more for validation than monetary gain. Quite honestly I give more away than I sell and I like to see a painting go to a good home. I have a website www.ignudi.com (that sorely needs updating), some work on
www.mnartists.org.  and respond to calls for art.  I’ve had several pieces shown with Altered Esthetics over the past couple of years.

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy? 

I think these people are beautiful painters

Also for a while last year Altered Esthetics was holding a critique group
which I found very engaging.



If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?
We would go where the day would take us and look for art where it is not usually found.  A crumpled piece of metal, an open cupboard, a road with patches, a flattened paper cup, a cardboard box.



In addition to www.Local-Artist-Interviews.com, where do you go online for good art resources, whether to find a new artist, or to see what is going on in the art world locally and otherwise? 

I check these out regularly

Lately I’ve been perusing online museum collections.  I think the Met is by far the best.  They have very high resolutions so you can get real close.

And though not specifically “art” I read Arts and Letters Daily at

What can we expect to see from you in the future?
Better painting. Freer, splashier, looser. Better color, more poetic



Image List
1. Levant Plays Gershwin        36 X 36         2011
2. Stories From My Father       46 X 30         2011
3. The Erechteum                    48 X 36         2013
4. Pergamon  Variation            36 X 25        2013
5. The Delphi Charioteer         36 x 24         2014
6. Capitol Dome                     28” x 30”       2014

7. Image of Kurt Hippauf